Wake Me Up (Before You Go-Go)
by columbiachica
Summary: A sequel to "The Luckiest"; Literati


Wake Me Up (Before You Go-Go)  
By columbiachica (kat2005)  
  
Author's Note: A sequel to "The Luckiest." If you don't like it, just remember: you brought this on yourselves, because I am a pushover. The title is from the song by Wham!  
  
Disclaimer: Let me check...not under the bed...not in the junk drawer...not in my trunk...nope, they aren't mine.  
  
Two frustrated clicking noises filled the room. One was an old, hollow-sounding clack; the other, a flat, pat clap. A flurry of activity could be heard from one before it died down, and the other would take over. On one side of the room, a sigh exploded from one person while the other's keys fluttered. The scratch of pen against paper was heard intermittently.  
  
A chair chafed against the floor in the silence. Rory Gilmore got up and crossed the room, ducking into the kitchen. From the tap, she filled a water glass and gulped it down. Making a face of distaste at the chlorine, she set the glass on the edge of the sink. She leaned her forearms on the sink and looked out the window into the smoggy city.  
  
Realizing that this wasn't helping her make her deadline, Rory dragged herself back into the living room and returned to her desk. She scowled into her computer screen and tapped her nails on the scarred wood. Suddenly, inspiration hit; just as Jess' pecking was dying out, she pounded furiously on her keyboard, words flying out onto the screen.  
  
With a satisfied smile, Rory logged onto the internet and e-mailed her story in. Finished at last, she shut her laptop down and collapsed onto the couch. A rerun of Seinfeld was on, and Rory turned the volume down low and reclined back. Meanwhile, Jess stared out into the wall, and Rory knew he was frowning.  
  
An hour later, Rory was watching ElimiDate. The couch sunk next to her, and Jess' arm was around her. Sighing happily, Rory leaned into his touch and closed her eyes. "Made deadline?"  
  
"Barely," Rory said. "Writers' block?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"It'll come."  
  
"You always say that," Jess remarked affectionately.  
  
"I'm always right," Rory said confidently.  
  
"About certain things," Jess conceded.  
  
"Now then," Rory muttered. "What's for dinner?"  
  
"Food."  
  
"I'm so lucky."  
  
"Count your blessings," Jess directed.  
  
"Trust me, I am. I'm still looking for one."  
  
"This." Jess leaned in and kissed her, gently brushing her lips. When she moved in for more, he accepted her ardently. Rory tilted him back against the couch, trapping him between the arm and her body. "I said there was food for dinner."  
  
"Shut up," Rory commanded, blushing.  
  
"Come on." Offering her his hand, he pulled her up and led her into the kitchen. Rory liked to sit at the table and watch him prepare dinner. He moved about the kitchen with a practiced ease that awed Rory.  
  
"What are you making?" she asked.  
  
"Food."  
  
"Seems to be a theme."  
  
"Sure does," Jess agreed. He sprinkled some ingredients into a pot and stirred. Rory kept bobbing her head up and down, trying to see past him, through him. But Jess kept the cooking surface blocked, and Rory eventually gave up.  
  
Many minutes later, Jess put a heat pad on the table and set the pot on top. "Potato soup?"  
  
"Disappointed?"  
  
"Of course not. I love potato soup." Rory reached out for the ladle, and Jess handed it over and sat. Concentrating hard, Rory carefully doled out the soup, cautious not to spill on the table. "Oh, your publisher called."  
  
"Huh."  
  
"I forgot to give you the message. He called while you were shopping." Rory sipped some soup and winced at its temperature. She got up and leaned into the refrigerator, groping around for some milk. "Anyway," she began, downing the milk, "he asked you to call him back."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"If I knew why, I'd have told you."  
  
"Right." Jess swirled his spoon around in his soup pensively.  
  
Rory buoyantly ate her soup, polished off two bowls. Jess didn't utter a word for the rest of the meal. "All right, what's wrong?"  
  
"I know why he called."  
  
"It must be bad." Rory extended her hand, gesturing for his empty bowl. She went to the sink and started rinsing the dishes. "So?"  
  
"Publicity."  
  
"Publicity?"  
  
Jess sighed and dropped the sponge in the sink. "He thinks the book has potential."  
  
Confused, Rory crinkled her brow. "So do I."  
  
"You always say that."  
  
"And I'm always right," Rory said with a smile.  
  
"About certain things."  
  
"Back to the publicity, please," Rory requested.  
  
"Jeff thinks the book has major sales potential, so he's thinking of sending me on a tour of the states to promote it."  
  
Rory blinked. "That's good then."   
  
"It means a month of touring...readings...talk shows...all that crap," Jess said, waving his hand irritably.  
  
"A month?" Rory asked tentatively.  
  
"A month."  
  
"Wow. That's a long time," she said softly.  
  
Picking up a dish and scrubbing it with more gusto than necessary, Jess shook his head. "I'm not going."  
  
Panic in her eyes, Rory ripped the sponge out of his hands. "Oh, yes, you are!"  
  
Jess reeled back a little from her vehement command. "Whoa. So, you want to get rid of me?"  
  
"This is your chance," Rory said earnestly, "and I'm not going to ruin it. No. You are going on this tour."  
  
Jess squinted. "Ulterior motive?"  
  
Rory grinned evilly. "Well, I really want to see the Internet fan clubs devoted to you after your appearance on Jay Leno."  
  
"Of course. I knew it." Jess flicked some water at her. Pretending to be offended, Rory countered, and soon, they were in a full-fledged water fight.  
  
"Truce! Truce!" Rory cried when Jess moved to tickle her. "No! No!" Laughing hysterically, Rory sunk to the kitchen floor as Jess mercilessly tickled her. "Stop," she gasped breathlessly. Finally, Jess relented, but Rory didn't get up. Instead, she pulled on the sides of his shirt so that he was lying on top of her. She kissed him, telling him how much she loved him.  
  
Making sure that most of his weight rested on his forearms, Jess permitted himself to sink closer to her, responding to her passionate kiss. Rory shifted underneath him so that their hips locked together like puzzle pieces.  
  
"Stop?" Jess teased when they finally separated.  
  
"Never." Rory bit her lip and smiled.  
  
"Deal." Jess dipped toward her again, moving one hand to rest on the side of her waist. He caressed her lips with his, scraping the roof of her mouth lightly with his tongue. When they broke apart, Rory sighed and burrowed her head in his neck. Gulping, Jess kissed the side of her head. "I love you."  
  
"I know," Rory murmured.  
  
"You always say that."  
  
"I'm always right."  
  
With another soft, fluttery kiss, Jess whispered, "About certain things." 


End file.
